Took In With Dpf Issue - Almost Drove Out With No Brakes!

[averageowner]

Hi All

Am new here, so please be kind.

My 6 year old focus zetec 1.6TDi came up with an Enging Malfunction in the centre section of the dash where the mileage is normally displayed so I pulled over called the AA and they diagnosed the issue as being:

P2458 DPF Regen duration too high

P242F DPF pressure too high

It had two others thay he was able to clear.

I was booked into Trust Ford Hounslow for a service the next day (please don't rib me about going to a dealer with a 6 year old car - I've had it loads :-( ), so the AA guy followed me the three miles there.

So I told them check the errors first before the service, but when they called me later in the day they said they had already done the service and they recomended replacing the DPF but I could try adding the fluid and then a forced regen for £634. Or approx £1500 to replace the DPF along with the fluid.

Very unimpressed that they did a service first on a car with issues that came in with an AA van behind it, but on asking for the area managers name the service guy said he would hold off on the service charge until I decided on a repair and could come and collect my car only paying the £65 charge for diagnosis.

When I went to collect it he talked to me at length about the pricing but still not 100% on actual quotes. They also said I might want to think of not buying a diesel car next time if I only do short journey, at the time of purchase we were doing long drives.

So wanting a second opinion I decided to take my car home, someone drove it round to the front. Got in it and the NO BRAKES!!! Almost rolled into the traffic! Went back in got another service guy to confirm there are no brakes.

Recieved a call this morning and the brakes have been fixed as a pipe had come loose or not been put back properly.

So my car went in with the DPF codes above and has got worse:

1. Still has Engine Malfunction warning
2. Now has the Yellow Engine warning light is now on

Oh and only on trying to collect my car did I find a fluid top up is scheduled for this service but wasn't told about it when booking through Trust Ford's central booking line.

Sorry this is so long but I guess my question is:

1. What are my options if the Garage has made my car worse by doing a service?
2. Is it safe to drive?
3. Are these the only options around the DPF?

The car is only worth £4.5k so am bit reluctant to spend £1.5k for recon DPF, £300 on the service and an additional £300 on the bushes that have also gone - which they replaced three years ago under warranty.

My wife is very upset as she has brand loyalty as her father worked for Ford for many years (passing away whilst still working there) and her brother also worked there.

[GingerFlame]

Get a DPF delete & a remap.. blank the EGR valve too. I'm sure lenny or another diesel owner willl be along sooner to explain in more depth :)

[averageowner]

Thanks - I also asked if they had checked the Eloy's before and he said there was no way of checkiing and it doesn't get topped up. Have taken it back to the same place since new, surely they would do a topup?

[iantt]

top up is at 37.5k intervals and not part of service as such but optional at extra charge, and dpf renewed at 75k extra charge.( very high extra charge!!)

you can get an aftermarket dpf fitted cheaper.

dpf removal can be done, but potential mot failure.

[GingerFlame]

top up is at 37.5k intervals and not part of service as such but optional at extra charge, and dpf renewed at 75k extra charge.( very high extra charge!!)

you can get an aftermarket dpf fitted cheaper.

dpf removal can be done, but potential mot failure.

As lenny as posted before, the focus seems to respond well to DPF removal Emission wise

[south_bound]

There are lots of threads discussing the options on this forum if you do a search. I had the same issues as you and so got mine deleted at Avon Tuning near Bristol a couple of years ago and its been great since - better power, better mpg and no MOT problems at all. They take out the DPF itself and remap the ECU to delete it from the system, and they really know what they are doing. I would get the EGR blanked off at the same time - I declined at the time but went back for that recently and it has further improved the drive. You will then never have a problem with DPF or EGR again while you own the car, and all much cheaper than the quotes you have been getting from Ford.

No doubt others will give their point of view but this is mine based on my own experience.

[averageowner]

Thanks for the advice - been looking at many options and found the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-for-mot-to-test-for-diesel-particulate-filter

Basically it might have been ok once but not anymore. :(

Anyone know if cleaning is ok? Or a good garage in west London for a replacement?

[averageowner]

My other question is how long can I drive it with the:

1. Engine Malfunction warning
2. Yellow Engine warning light is now on

I want to get it back to my house instead of leaving it with the garage - wish I'd driven down the motorway now to help clear it but didn't know how bad it was at the time.

[GingerFlame]

Thanks for the advice - been looking at many options and found the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-for-mot-to-test-for-diesel-particulate-filter

Basically it might have been ok once but not anymore. :(

Anyone know if cleaning is ok? Or a good garage in west London for a replacement?

If you get it cut open along the factory welds, gut it, then have it welded back up you'll be fine

[south_bound]

I drove mine with warning light on for a good few months while I decided what to do, and the performance wasn't that great but I don't think I did any damage to anything.

The article you linked to was debated at length on this forum at the time it came out in Dec 2013, about the time I went ahead and got the job done. As above, they cut open the cannister and remove the internals then weld it up again, and in any case the whole lot is hidden behind a heat shield so hard to inspect. The MOT tester didn't even try to look for it last time so there is a big difference between what a government website says and the real world. Anyway, your choice.

[averageowner]

Regen sorted it for now. RAC did this instead of recovering my car to a garage. (it might have been over the top to ask for it to be recovered but hey got a free regen out of it.)

A garage called VTS checked and have enough Eolys fluid.

Should I get the oil changed as it was running for 4000 revs for 10 mins and the oil looks fairly black considering it was just changed.